Uncoupling mechanism



l. H. MILLIKEN AND W. J. REGAN.

UNCOUPLlNG MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED. OCT- 61 I921- 1,417,548 Patentd May 30, 1922.

2' SHEETS-S HEET 1.

I l I I. H-. MILLIKEN AND w.1. REGAN.

UNCOUPLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION HLED 0cT.-6. 192l- Patented May 30, 1922.

2 $HEETS--SHEET 2.

downwardly through the coupler head and The link 8 be provided near the rear end thereof with a pivot pin opening 5 for receiving the tail pin (not shown) constituting the means for pivotally connect-ing thecoupler to the draft rigging in a well known manner.

The lift lever 4 is caused to perform an "unlocking movement by the vertical rotation of a member 6 whose forward end is pivotallyconnectedto the lift lever and whose rear end is slidably supported upon an actuating member? which is pivotally mounted upon a bail 8 suspended from the coupler 7 carrier iron in a manner to permit said bail to swing lengthwise of the car. The member 6 may conveniently be formed as a simple bar having a hooked forward end 9 adapted to pass through the usual eye or openinglO at the inner end of the lift lever 4. I

Thepreferred modes 'of supporting the swinging bail 8 from two well known forms of coupler carrier iron devices are illustrated in the drawings. The carrier iron device shown in Fig. 1, and generally designated by the reference numeral 11, will be recognized as one now in use upon Pullman cars;

while the carrier iron 12 shown in Fig. 2 is of another, well known form. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to any particular form of coupler carrier iron. The bail 8 may be detachably supported from the carrier iron 11 by. securing to said carrier iron .a casting having a hook 13 adapted to receive the upper end of said bail andthrough which the latter may bethreaded. In case the carrier iron 12..is employed the bail 8 may be sup ported therefrom by providing said carrier with a bracket formed at its lower end with an eye 14 through which the bail may be passed. 1

To'form the pivotal connection between I the bail 8 and the actuating member .7 the upper sides so asv to have a segmental form contributing to the compactness of theinechamsm, are preferably provided at their outer ends with marginal-flanges 17 which,

by overlapping the outer sides of the respective books 15 of the bail, serve'to prevent said bail 8' from spreading when the device is 1n service.

The actuating member 7 has alrecess 18 ings 21 are wider at the bottom than at the top. This permits either uncoupling lever "20 to be used for unlockingthe coupler i11 dependently of the other lever, .The uncoupling levers are preferably of the well known form illustrated in the I. H. Milliken Patent No. 1,184,116, dated May 23,1916.

To assist in stabilizing the actuatingmemher 7 against the possibility of, an accidental uncoupling movement due to the dragging of the bar 6 thereon as the coupler moves longitudinally, the member 7 is preferably formed with portions22 and 23which nor-.

mally engage the under side of theyrotatable bar 6 in advance of. and to the" rear, respectively, of the axis of pivotal connection-of said actuating member to its supporting hail the trunnions 16 'by which this pivotal con-;

.nection is effected, the actuating member 7 is provided with an opening 24 through which the rear end of the member 6 extends. The upper wall or boundary 25 of the opening 24 is adapted to come into engagement with the upper side of the rotatable bar 6 when the latter is actuated to cause an unlocking movement of the coupler lock 2;

Then either of the uncoupling levers 20 is operated its bent inner end 19 presses against the forward wall 26 of the swinging supported actuating member 7 and causes the latter to execute an upward pivotal movement on the supporting bail 8. This movement of the member 7 causes theportions 22 and 25 thereof to press respectively upon opposite sides'of the vertically rotatable bar 6 in advance and to the rear of the axis of the trunnions 16, thereby compelling the member 6 to perform an unlocking rotation which is communicated to the coupler lock 2 through the lift lever 4 and the link 3. During the unlocking movement of the rotatable barr6 and its actuating member 7 the bail 8 swings lengthwise of the car as may be required to enable the'hooked end?) of the bar 6, readily to follow the path of travel of the eye 10 at the inner end of the lock lift lever 4.

In the embodimentv of the invention illustrated in the drawings the several parts of the uncoupling mechanism are 'detachably interlocked so that their accidental i 95 8. To the rear of said pivotal axis and above prevented.

. We claim:' I I I 1. In an uncoupling mechanism, the'combination with a car coupler, its lock and car 7 rler iron, of means for moving said lock to unlocked'p'osltlon, said means lnvolvlng a rotatable member operatively connected to said look, a bail swingingly supported by "said carrier iron, means plvotally connected tov said bail adapted toactuate said rotatable member, and an uncouplinglever supported on said actuating means at a point below the point of pivotal support [of said actuating means. I o a 2. In an uncoupling mechanism, the combination with a car couplerand its lock, of means for moving said lock to unlocked position, said means involving a rotatable member operatively connected to said lock, a

swinginglbail, means pivotallyconnected to said ball for actuating said rotatable ne r n ber, and an uncoupling lever for operatlng' said actuating means, said actuating means be ng prov ded w th a recess which s open A laterally below the aXi s off pivotal connection of said actuating means" and bailto permit the entry of said uncoupling lever. I

' 3. In an uncoupling mechanism, the, com-- bination with a car coupler and its lock, of means for moving said lock to unlocked position, said means involving a vertically rotatable member operatively connected to said lock and extending rearwardly therefrom, a swinging bail, a member pivotally connected to'said bail for'actuating said rotatable memher, and an uncoupling lever for operating said actuating member, the said pivotal connection of said bail and actuating member involving a plurality of trunnions.

4. In an uncoupling mechanism, the combination with a car coupler, its'lock and carrier iron, of means for moving said lock to unlocked position, said means involving a vertically rotatable member operatively connected to said lock, a bail supported from said carrier iron and adapted to swing lengthwise of the car, means pivotally connected to said ball for actuating said rotatable member, and an uncoupllng lever for causing an unlocked movement of said actuating means, said pivotal connection of said bail and actuating means being effected by a plurality of hooks and corresponding trunnions.

5. In an uncoupling mechanism, the combination with a car coupler and its lock, of means for moving said lock to unlocked position, said means involving a vertically rotatable member operatively connected to said lock and extending rearwardly therefrom, a bail adapted to swing lengthwise of the car and provided with a plurality of spaced hooks, and a member slidably engaging and adapted to actuate said rotatable member .vided I sociation when, the deviceis in service providediwith afplurality fof laterally I projecting;f 'trunnions adapted. to cooperate with said hooks to form ja pivotal connection with said'bail. o I a I 6. In :an'uncou-pling mechanism,,the comsition', said means involving a-rotatablememb n W t a lf coupler its lo k, f v '7 I mealls'for-movingsaid lock to unlocked prop: I

ber opeljativelyjconnected to said look, a; bail V adapted to swing-lengthwise ofthe "car' and -7 provided at its lower end with a pluralityof hooks forming trunnion bearings, and a member adapted toYa'c'tu'ate .said rotatable member, saidactuating member being -'pro'- with a plurality of fl d tr n which are loul'naled Said hooks.-

7. In an uncoupling mechanism,the'combination with a car coupler and its lock, of

means'fo'r moving said lock to unlocked 'po- I s t1on,sa1d'mea'ns nivolvlng rotatable member operatively conne ctedtosa d lock and e tending rearwardlyjtherefrorn, a member adapted to actuate said rotatable" member, nieansf-pivotally connected to'said actuating] 'member a-nd adapted to jmovelengthwise of the carfor supporting said; actuating ineinmember in advance and to" the rear of the member to its supporting means;

axis of" pivotal connection of said. actuating bination with a car coupler and its lock,of means for moving s'aidlock to unlocked position, said means involving a rotatable member operatively connected to sa1d lock and extending rearwardly therefrom, means for actuating said rotatable member, means adapted to swing lengthwise of the I car pivotally supporting said actuating means,

'be'r,andmeans for operatingfsai'd' actuating "member, saidj actuating member being gpro- I I vided'with portions which areadaptedtoen- 4 I gage 'slidably the under side: of said rotatable 9'5 and means for operating said-actuating means, said rotatable member being adapted to slide lengthwise of the car with respect to said actuating'means, and said actuating" means being provided with trunnions ournaledfon said supporting means. 1

9; In an uncoupling mechanism, the combination with a car coupler and its lock, of means for moving said lock tonnlocked position, said means involving a rotatable member operatively connected to said lock and extending I rearwardly therefrom, a

'- member slidably supporting the rear end'of said rotatable member and adapted to actuate said rotatable member, and'meansadapted to swing lengthwise of the car for supporting said actuating member, said actuating member being provided with a plurality of trunnions jjournaled in said last named means, and said actuating member also being provided above ;-;said trunnions with an aperture through which the rear end of said rotatable member extends,

7 car and pivotally 10; In an uncoupling combination with a car coupler and its lock, of means for moving said lock to unlocked position, said means involving a rotatable member operatively connected to said lock and extending rearwardly therefrom, a

member adapted I to actuate said rotatable member to eiiect a, lock operating movement thereof, means adapted to swing lengthwise of the car for supporting said actuating 11. In an uncoupling mechanism, the

combination with a car coupler and its lock,

of meansfor moving said lock to: unlocked position, said means involving a rotatable member operatively connected to said lock and extending rearwardly therefrom, a member for actuating said rotatable member, supporting means for said actuating member adapted to swing connected to said actuating member, and. an uncoupling lever for operating said actuating member, said rotatable'member being slidable lengthwise of the car with respect to said actuating member, and said actuating memb'er being provided with ftrunnions journaledon said mechanism, the

I and extending lengthwise of the also having a recess which opens laterally below said trunnions to permit the entry ofsaid uncoupling lever.

12. In an uncoupling mechanism, the 40 combination with a car'coupler and its lock, of means for moving said lock 'to unlocked position, said means involving a rotatable member operatively connected to said lock actuating member slidably supportingsaid rotatable member rearwardly of said lock and adapted to causean unlocking rotation of said rotatable member, and supporting means for said actuating member adapted to swing lengthwise of the car and pivotally connected to said actuating member, said actuating member being adapted to have supporting engagement with'theunder side of said rotatable member in advance andv to I the rear of'the axis of pivotal connection of said actuating member to said swinging supporting means, and said actuating member also being adapted toengage the upper side of said rotatable member'to the rear of said pivotal axis.

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures.

. Isaac MILLIKEN. WILLIAM J. REGAN.

through 3 5 rearwardly therefrom, an 45 

